Meetings industry professionals from across the globe have descended on Houston, Texas, USA this week for the 58th ICCA Congress, one of the most prestigious events in the international association meetings industry’s annual calendar. With almost 1,000 senior meetings industry professionals and association meeting planners from 75 countries in attendance, the International Congress and Convention Association’s 2019 Congress is the largest ever held in the North American region.
Over the next four days, delegates will experience a cutting-edge programme of education, networking and business opportunities. Bringing together a world-class roster of global and local speakers from in and outside the meetings industry, sessions at the 2019 edition of ICCA’s annual flagship event will explore collaboration and meetings industry advancement from multiple perspectives. The education session also plays a key focus on knowledge transfer and host destination impact.
Expertise from in- and outside the industry on Innovation and Technology
This year’s Congress theme is “Innovation and Technology”. Leading figures from various industries are appearing as keynote speakers, bringing delegates into contact with an even more diverse range of subject areas and depth of expertise than ever before.
This year’s Congress theme is “Innovation and Technology”. Leading figures from various industries are appearing as keynote speakers, bringing delegates into contact with an even more diverse range of subject areas and depth of expertise than ever before.
Such speakers include Houston local Scott Parazynski, a former NASA astronaut and the first man to have both flown in space and summitted Mount Everest; Soulaima Gourani, who as one of Denmark’s most inspiring business women will lead the annual Copenhagen Denmark Lecture; and Scott Stratten, an expert in viral marketing who will be sharing his knowledge of how organisations can embrace disruption.
Interdisciplinary association Pumps & Pipes, who specialise in creating interactions and knowledge transfer between unconnected professional groups and are based in Houston, will share their expertise on facilitating innovation through cross-industry collaboration as part of the programme.
“Out of the box sessions” include technical tours of Houston Spaceport, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and TMCx, a healthcare and life-science incubator located within the world's largest medical center in Houston, shaping the future of health care by uniting promising innovators with the best minds in academia, science and medicine.
In an examination of how association clients view collaboration, a panel of association executives and destination marketers will also debate the successes and failings of how the two sides work together.
Facilitating active learning and legacy-driven knowledge transfer
With an emphasis on increasing educational return-on-investment for each delegate, the meetings design of each session is based on a philosophy of active learning and include a way for delegates to work with each topic on an interactive basis for improved information retention. A professional team of moderators are working alongside the ICCA team and Educational Committee to support the learning experience, guiding each session’s direction and ensuring delegates receive useful and impactful takeaways.
With an emphasis on increasing educational return-on-investment for each delegate, the meetings design of each session is based on a philosophy of active learning and include a way for delegates to work with each topic on an interactive basis for improved information retention. A professional team of moderators are working alongside the ICCA team and Educational Committee to support the learning experience, guiding each session’s direction and ensuring delegates receive useful and impactful takeaways.
Senthil Gopinath, ICCA Chief Executive Officer, said: “At each annual Congress, ICCA seeks to break new ground with an innovative, up-to-the-minute programme, providing answers to our global membership’s most pressing questions regarding the evolution of the international association meetings industry and addressing its futuristic topics.”
“The changing face of our industry is a constant source of debate and discussion. Through the unique opportunities for knowledge sharing on offer at the ICCA Congress in Houston, we aim to cement our industry’s vital role as a driver of global progress, with our members as the leading innovators.”
Furthering the growth of the U.S.A.’s and North American association meetings market
This is ICCA’s largest Congress ever in North America. Through its 58th Congress, ICCA aims to supports its members in the North America Chapter in advancing the importance of their region’s international association meetings market. Maximising the knowledge transfer opportunities and educational legacy for the benefit of the host destination plays a significant part in how ICCA plans to increase the market’s footprint and influence in the U.S.A.
This is ICCA’s largest Congress ever in North America. Through its 58th Congress, ICCA aims to supports its members in the North America Chapter in advancing the importance of their region’s international association meetings market. Maximising the knowledge transfer opportunities and educational legacy for the benefit of the host destination plays a significant part in how ICCA plans to increase the market’s footprint and influence in the U.S.A.
Daniel Palomo, Director of Global Sales, Visit Houston said: “The ICCA Congress has been long awaited in Houston and now is finally here. It will be a great platform to help position our destination even further among the leaders in the international association meeting market, especially in the US. We are very proud and excited to host 50 international associations clients and at least 100 global PCOs that can potentially bring additional business to our city.”
“Also, the Congress will be a great platform to educate our local industry and community through a series of engagement programs mainly focusing on the relevance of the meetings industry beyond the tourism impact.”
Ulrike von Arnold honoured with ICCA Moises Shuster Award
Ulrike von Arnold, Deputy Director of the Vienna Convention Bureau received ICCA’s highest honour during the General Assembly at the 58th ICCA Congress. Announcing the award, ICCA President James Rees said: “Ulrike von Arnold has given an immense amount of her time to ICCA, in particular in her involvement with ICCA’s educational activities. She has presented throughout the world at ICCA events including our Association Meetings Programme and annual Congress, travelling to numerous countries representing ICCA and sharing her skills on bidding, marketing and strategy with other ICCA members and potential members. She is renowned for her work at Vienna Convention Bureau and served on the ICCA Board of Directors from 2011 – 2017, acting as Vice President from 2014 – 2017. It is my great pleasure to present her this year’s Moises Shuster Award.”
Ulrike von Arnold, Deputy Director of the Vienna Convention Bureau received ICCA’s highest honour during the General Assembly at the 58th ICCA Congress. Announcing the award, ICCA President James Rees said: “Ulrike von Arnold has given an immense amount of her time to ICCA, in particular in her involvement with ICCA’s educational activities. She has presented throughout the world at ICCA events including our Association Meetings Programme and annual Congress, travelling to numerous countries representing ICCA and sharing her skills on bidding, marketing and strategy with other ICCA members and potential members. She is renowned for her work at Vienna Convention Bureau and served on the ICCA Board of Directors from 2011 – 2017, acting as Vice President from 2014 – 2017. It is my great pleasure to present her this year’s Moises Shuster Award.”
The ICCA Moises Shuster Award is ICCA’s most prestigious honour. The Award is given to an individual nominated by the ICCA Board most, but not every year, in recognition not only of their inspiring business success and leadership in the international meetings business, but also for their important contribution towards ICCA’s development and success. It is named after one of ICCA’s “founding fathers”, a true visionary and pioneer in the early years of the international meetings industry, and one of ICCA’s earliest Presidents.
Past honorees of the Award that carries his name comprise a roll-call of industry champions and ICCA ambassadors from around the world, and include: Paul Flackett, Anne Wallin Rodven, Tom Hulton, Martin Lewis and Ray Bloom from Europe, Arnaldo Nardone and Greg Ortale from the Americas, Connie Cheng and Anthony Wong from Asia-Pacific. Past ICCA Presidents such as Pieter van der Hoeven, Christian Mutschlechner and Tuula Lindberg have been honoured, as has PCO pioneer Gideon Rivlin.
Tags: ICCA
